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Senior Classic:
Lee Johnston showcased his front running potential for Saturday’s Senior Classics race, after impressively heading this evening’s timed practice session.
Piloting the immaculately prepared Davies Motorsport Yamaha, TT winner Johnston registered a new PB practice week lap speed of 108.41 mph.
This left him just over 3.43 seconds clear of Davies Motorsport team-mate Dominic Herbertson (108.114).
Third quickest, Ruthless Racing’s Rob Hodson neared a sub 21 minutes lap, lapped at a very creditable 107.517 mph.
James Hiller (107.058) had another good run on the CSC Racing Honda whilst TT Privateers Champion Jamie Coward (106.825) also showed strongly.
Sixth quickest John McGuinness MBE (106.7), flying lap ended in disappointment with the 23 times TT winner retiring at Quarter Bridge.
Remaining Senior Classics runners topping the 100-mph lap mark were Michael Browne (102.776), Ian Lougher (101.673) and Will Loder (101.312).
Lightweight:
Two stroke 250 competition kicked up a gear tonight around the fabled, mythical Mountain Course.
Given special dispensation to pilot the Laylaw Racing Yamaha in the Classic Superbike/Senior practice session, Cork’s Michael Browne was quickly into the groove.
Browne’s second timed lap saw him lap at 19 minutes 21.743 seconds, which equates speed wise to 116.917 mph.
At the time this was the fastest Lightweight class lap speed of this year’s Manx GP.
Fast forward though to the Lightweight session proper and Jim Hind moved back to the top.
Hind like Browne TZ250 Yamaha mounted, was in extremely rapid form on route to clocking 19 minutes 16.104 seconds (117.488 mph).
Third quickest, 26.519 in arrears to protégé Hind was another of the Laylaw Racing stable, ten times TT Champion Ian Lougher (114.308).
Respective fourth to sixth quickest class pilots Dominic Herbertson (113.848), Stuart Hall (112.322), Rhys Hardisty (111.16) all lapped in excess of 111 mph.
Whilst seventh fastest Michael Dunlop latest lap aboard the Crossan Motorcycles Honda, saw him lap at 108.584 mph.
Junior:
Under ten seconds covered this evening’s leading Junior class exponents, showing again the closeness of Super Twins action at the first Manx GP of this decade.
Same as on Wednesday evening, top Twins exponent was Spanish star Victor Lopez Santos.
Lopez Santos astride the Xecretia Road Racing Aprilia, neared the 115-mph lap mark, recording a best lap speed of 114.894 mph.
Top pursuer to the Spaniard, only 3.292 seconds behind was KTS Racing Powered by Steadplan’s Jamie Williams (114.575).
Third on tonight’s practice leader board was No.1 plate holder Francesco Curinga (113.955).
Overall, nine Super Twins runners registered 110 mph laps whilst notable mentions must be given to rapid Manx newbies Martin Morris (109.564), Eoin O’Siochru (108.337) and Albert Walker (107.471).
Photo credit: Mark Corlett
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
James Hiller (107.058) had another good run on the CSC Racing Honda whilst TT Privateers Champion Jamie Coward (106.825) also showed strongly.
Sixth quickest John McGuinness MBE (106.7), flying lap ended in disappointment with the 23 times TT winner retiring at Quarter Bridge.
Remaining Senior Classics runners topping the 100-mph lap mark were Michael Browne (102.776), Ian Lougher (101.673) and Will Loder (101.312).
Lightweight:
Two stroke 250 competition kicked up a gear tonight around the fabled, mythical Mountain Course.
Given special dispensation to pilot the Laylaw Racing Yamaha in the Classic Superbike/Senior practice session, Cork’s Michael Browne was quickly into the groove.
Browne’s second timed lap saw him lap at 19 minutes 21.743 seconds, which equates speed wise to 116.917 mph.
At the time this was the fastest Lightweight class lap speed of this year’s Manx GP.
Fast forward though to the Lightweight session proper and Jim Hind moved back to the top.
Hind like Browne TZ250 Yamaha mounted, was in extremely rapid form on route to clocking 19 minutes 16.104 seconds (117.488 mph).
Third quickest, 26.519 in arrears to protégé Hind was another of the Laylaw Racing stable, ten times TT Champion Ian Lougher (114.308).
Respective fourth to sixth quickest class pilots Dominic Herbertson (113.848), Stuart Hall (112.322), Rhys Hardisty (111.16) all lapped in excess of 111 mph.
Whilst seventh fastest Michael Dunlop latest lap aboard the Crossan Motorcycles Honda, saw him lap at 108.584 mph.
Junior:
Under ten seconds covered this evening’s leading Junior class exponents, showing again the closeness of Super Twins action at the first Manx GP of this decade.
Same as on Wednesday evening, top Twins exponent was Spanish star Victor Lopez Santos.
Lopez Santos astride the Xecretia Road Racing Aprilia, neared the 115-mph lap mark, recording a best lap speed of 114.894 mph.
Top pursuer to the Spaniard, only 3.292 seconds behind was KTS Racing Powered by Steadplan’s Jamie Williams (114.575).
Third on tonight’s practice leader board was No.1 plate holder Francesco Curinga (113.955).
Overall, nine Super Twins runners registered 110 mph laps whilst notable mentions must be given to rapid Manx newbies Martin Morris (109.564), Eoin O’Siochru (108.337) and Albert Walker (107.471).
Photo credit: Mark Corlett
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou 
